Canadian prospect Adonis Stevenson spars Arthur Abraham

Mark Pickering: Undefeated Canadian powerhouse Adonis Stevenson is sharpening his skills as a sparring partner for Super Six front-runner Arthur Abraham who is working towards his second-round meeting with Andre Dirrell on March 6.

Stevenson, who at 32 is three years Abraham’s senior, is a highly-regarded southpaw who is best known for his first-round demolition of veteran Anthony Bonsante in 2008.

The Haiti-born super-middleweight, who has worked with the likes of Mikkel Kessler, Librado Andrade and Lucian Bute, is now testing German icon Abraham with his physical prowess and heavy hands in Zinnowitz, a spa-town in Northern Germany on the Baltic Sea.

“It’s a good opportunity for me, he has so much experience, I’m here to learn,” said Stevenson.

“I worked with Kessler and Bute when I was an amateur, now I work a lot with Andrade.”

Stevenson has stopped 10 of 13 opponents; a lethal strike rate that is reminiscent to Abraham, one of masters of power punching.

“Abraham, he can punch,” said Stevenson. “He is in shape but I think he can do better and on March 6 is going to be ready for Dirrell.”

According to German newspaper Bild, Armenian-born Abraham has also brought in retired former super middleweight king Sven Ottke, now 42, to replicate Dirrell’s speed and movement.